Thursday, October 21, 2010

Since I've Been Gone

Since I last wrote in June, so many things have surprised me and reminded me of the wacky, wild world we now live in. I am happy to be back writing blogs for the Troy Record. I thought the best way to reintroduce myself was to sound off about some things that have just thrown me for a loop. Here it goes.

The Watervliet Dog Shooting: Is abuse against defenseless animals some new trend I haven’t been made hip to yet? It seems like every other day there’s another disgusting story about some slimeball destroying a dog for some ridiculous reason. I was glad to see that the Humane Society has offered up another $500.00 to catch the piece of garbage that shot the 13-month-old Brittany spaniel, with a pellet gun on Oct. 3 in ‘Vliet. The dog died a week later, leaving its family grieving and looking for information. I’ll throw another $100.00 on the pot. Just tell me how. I still say these scumbags should get the death penalty. There are two crimes in this world that NEVER are excusable: rape and animal abuse. Please catch this creep, tie a cinder block around his waist, and throw him (or her) off the Patroon Island Bridge.

The Tea Party: OK, I’ll admit, I am not an expert on all that the Tea Party stands for. But it seems like they’re churning out one lunatic candidate after the other. I’m all for shaking up the status quo in politics, but any movement that dubs Sarah Palin as one of its leaders, is really the stupid being led by the...well...you know the rest. Palin is the dumbest politician in the history of the world. But I was happy to see that the Tea Party people actually dug up someone almost as idiotic as Palin: Christine O’Donnell. Wow. Is this woman really running for political office? Moving to Canada has never sounded so good.

The Mid-Term Elections: Speaking of insane politics is anyone else disgusted by the circus-show that is the mid-term elections in NYS? It is one insane campaign ad after the other on TV. I get it, send the message, smear the other guy, go for the jugular. But do these candidates really think New Yorkers are stupid enough to swallow these over-the-top scare tactics. “Chris Gibson wants to end the dept of education!” Really? Does he even have the power to do that if elected to such a minor office? Gillibrand is probably the worst senator in the country. She would leave a New Yorker for dead on the side of the road if it meant getting her hands dirty. But she’ll win and so will Scott Murphy. How bout that Governor’s debate the other night? THE RENT IS TOO DAMN HIGH! New York has never looked so good, huh? Paladino is a maniac who got attacked about his stance on gay marriage and Cuomo doesn’t have a thing to say about anything. It took him a year to even enter the race, after hiding in the weeds like a coward. Like that guy said to Denzel in AMERICAN GANGSTER, right before he died in that furniture store, “Forget it. There’s nobody in charge.”

The Ground Zero Mosque: I know this is an older story, but, what do you say, guys, enough is enough, don’t you think? I know ALL Muslims didn’t attack us on 9/11, but supposedly (as the government’s story goes) some Muslims DID attack us. Albeit radicals, but Muslim nonetheless. Do we really need to build a monument to them on the same sacred ground that dying Americans painted red? All these movements and rallies and such to get this Mosque built. Enough already! Just leave it alone. Build the thing somewhere else and shut up about it. Don’t tell me about freedom of religion or whatever other stupid logic you have for building this thing on top of our mass grave, our open wound. What’s next: A shrine to Japan at Pearl Harbor? How about a Timothy McVeigh statue in Oklahoma City? A statue to Eric Harris outside Columbine High School? Get real.

Fire Tom Coughlin and Eli’s Overrated: Let me say this as straight as possible: The New York Giants would be crazy to cut ties with Tom Coughlin at the end of this season, unless it ends in complete mutiny. The NFL is a tough guy league, built on discipline and high IQ. That’s why Tom is a winner everywhere he’s ever been, and clowns like Rex Ryan and Mike Singletary are flavors of the week. Every time the NY press rails for Coughlin’s head, or Tiki Barber is calling him out, the Giants respond in serious fashion. Anybody who thinks Cowher would be a better fit than Coughlin is a big-name-crazy meatball. If some Giant fans had their way in ’06, Coughlin would’ve been gone back then. Good thing we held on, huh? (That’s a reference to the Superbowl win over an 18-0 Patriots team. The most satisfying Superbowl victory ever.) I think the Giants are Superbowl-bound again this year. But only time will tell. And all this talk about Eli being overrated is outrageous. The man does nothing but win. Have there been some stinkers along the way? Of course. But overall he’s smart, solid, and is NEVER, EVER sick at sea. NEVER. Eli’s average? No Shaun Hill and Alex Smith are average. There are six QB’s in the NFL with rings. Eli’s one of them. Oh yeah, and a MVP trophy to boot. Eli’s average? You give me Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning, I’ll take my chances.